War's Twilight
by Ehanu Rehu
Summary: The story of Pyrrhia is one darkened by years of war and bloodshed. Dragons forced to choose a side in a triumvirate of violence, many cannot help but ask "When will this end?" 20 years since the war's genesis, the answer has come. The dragonets are coming, but Fate has left room for one more...


**And here we have another idea I've been bouncing around for some time. I'm not sure of how this story's success will occur, but here's hopin' anyways!**

His first returning memory was his name.

_Link. Hero of Twilight. The Blue-eyed Beast._

His eyes shot open, the memories of before returning and Link shot to his feet, searching his surroundings.

He saw trees. But he could sense no vitality. Life, yes, but no health. Slowly, these trees were dying, a poison clawing at them gradually and methodically. There was a lot of time remaining for these trees, but they were already dead with the stigma in them.

Link gazed skyward and saw why.

A boiling mountaintop churned and bubbled with molten rock in the distance, a river of magma flowing from its peak and carving its way through a valley towards the forest before disappearing under the stone to the land's core. Link coughed as he felt the ash scratch at his throat, seeking to begin ending his life as it was to the foliage. The very air felt dead, burnt by the volcano, hotter than even Death Mountain had been.

There was magic here, but it wasn't like Hyrule's. Wild, untamed, barely known and without a master, the raw energy almost left Link breathless with the untapped potential. If it were an animal, it would have been much like Epona had been before Link had tamed her.

But the question lingered: how did he end up here? Also, _why_?

Link reached out with his magical senses towards the power around him, causing his Triforce to set aglow. At once, it tried to lash at this new creature that dared annoy its presence. Link hardly needed to focus to reign it in. Immediately, the energy tried to throw off the controlling chains, but Link tightened his hold on the power, willing it to obey him. Moments passed with Link holding out his left hand, eyes closed in a quiet concentration that belied the struggle, minor as it was. Then at last, the power keeled and stopped its struggling against its new master.

He opened his eyes and lowered his hand, the task complete.

He immediately began checking over his equipment, checking for his treasures and relics that were, in truth, his most useful tools. The Gale Boomerang, Hero's Bow, both Clawshots, his shrunken Spinner, the Rod of Dominion, all secured in their proper places. Opening the one pouch specifically enchanted for the purpose, he felt the weight of the Megaton Hammer within, before shutting it.

Unsheathing his blade, he checked over the Master Sword. It still glowed gently with the Light of Twili, having never lost the power truly, and his trusty Hylian Shield over the sheath. Along with the treasures before that Zelda had given him.

At the time, he wondered at the need for substituting his Ball and Chain with the Goron-crafted Megaton Hammer, and still did, but one did well to listen to the holder of the Triforce of Wisdom, after all.

Remembering Zelda, he checked the clasps in which resided the Ocarina of Time. The gentle blue glow of the instrument shone through the belt-clasps as if to reassure him.

Then, he felt for the gift from the Twilight Princess underneath his tunic. Yes, the Twilight Crystal was still there on its chain around his neck. He still remembered the fiery power coursing through him the first time he stepped into the Twilight-shadowed Faron Woods. Then again when the crystal had first been used by Zant.

Closing his eyes, he remembered that day that had felt so long ago when he found the crystal fragment, but also had been mere months...

_The Mirror of Twilight's frame was shaking violently, threatening to tear from its moorings. Link looked to Zelda for an explanation, but her stern expression provided no answers. She knew as much as Link did._

_"When did this begin?" Zelda questioned the rather-heavy Hylian guard standing at attention._

_"At midnight, 3 nights ago. We thought it was convergence of energies from the Festival of Genesis," the guard said._

_Link nodded, understanding coming to him._

_The Festival of Genesis had started not even 5 years ago, at the defeat of Ganondorf and Zant, marking the beginning of an age without their shadow over the lands of Light and Twilight. The event that had started it had been the beginning of Hyrule Castle's rebuilding, after the devastation suffered to it during Link's battle with the Dark King. One of the captains of the guard had said during a speech to the builders and smiths that their efforts to restore Hyrule Castle weren't merely a restoration, but a Genesis of a new age, an era of peace._

_As large groups of callous men were wont to do, that night after working all day in the sun, they descended on the bars to celebrate the occasion and called it the "Festival of Genesis," more of a jest than an actual christening._

_But the name had stuck and the event became an actual festival the next year, finally becoming an annual tradition with the third year of the week-long celebrations. When the royal leader, Princess Zelda, officially gave the even her blessing, people started witnessing an increase in wonders and impossibilities. Magic-users, like the advance-level Zelda and novice-user Link, knew this increase as the Light Spirits joining in and giving their own setting apart to the event._

_But on this 5__th__ year, the frame of the Mirror of Twilight had mysteriously activated with twilit magic, appearing to the guards as a darkening of color. But Zelda and Link could see the Twilight particles emanating from the device..._

Link gasped as the memory ended, leaving him in the ash-filled landscape once again.

His breath hissed as he breathed sharply. Nowhere in that memory did he remember acquiring the Master Sword! Zelda had gifted him with the Ocarina and Hammer at separate Festivals before, but he didn't remember ever seeking out the sacred blade!

The sword's presence meant there was evil to be vanquished. There was no other purpose for the blade.

The Twilight Crystal, though...

He fingered the lump that signified the crystal's presence under his green tunic. Shortly after Midna had left him that day when they finally destroyed the Dark King Ganondorf, Link had roamed the Arbiter's Grounds, reminiscing. He had found the crystal fragment lying near to the spot Midna had stood right before destroying the Mirror.

The fragment had lost most of its power, but not its ability to change Link into the Sacred Wolf. The only limitation he had found was that he could change forms but once a day. Whether he was human or canid in form, a full day was required for the crystal's power to return.

Through his gloves, tunic, and chain-mail, he could feel the crystal thrumming with its warm energy, eager for his direct touch. In the dark of the volcanic landscape, the red light could just faintly be made out through the tunic.

He sheathed the Master Sword as he looked towards the peak of the volcano. The skies around it were heavy with ash and reflected the volatile light from the cone, appearing to have a sphere of dim flames surrounding it.

With a deep sigh, Link started to march.

He found the canyon when he almost fell into it.

While traipsing through a bush, he had felt his foot reach out for empty air and he started to fall. His arms wind-milled in a bid for his balance, and was successful as he fell back onto his rump. Groaning from the slight surprise, he parted the bush and saw he had almost fell down a sheer cliff that stretched downwards for hundreds and hundreds of feet before meeting the canyon floor that was comprised mostly of a massive lava river.

He took a moment to catch his breath and calm his racing heart before standing again. The canyon's length continued away into the distance towards the volcano and appeared to run right to its base. The crack he almost fell into widened dramatically until it was wide enough to consume all of Castle Town and part of Hyrule Castle's courtyard. There were also spots along the otherwise-flat cliff that were holes, or possibly caves, being an innumerable amount, there were so many.

Link gazed up at the volcano again to get his bearings. The crevice continued straight to the center of the base, it seemed.

He took the left fork and continued on.

For a while, the only sounds were that of the volcano's grumbling. In many ways, despite the obvious aesthetic differences, it reminded Link of Death Mountain. This volcano made its presence known on the local area, and said presence made one feel small and powerless.

He swallowed, trying to stave off the dryness in his throat. It had been a while since he last had a drink, and there wasn't any sources of relief willing to reveal themselves to him.

The thought returned to use the Twili crystal to transform into his wolf form, but he discarded the idea again. He didn't know if he would have need of his equipment, and as a wolf he wouldn't be able to use the various items.

A sound drifted through the air, reaching his ears as a whisper. He stopped immediately to listen, slight shock furrowing his brow. Given the condition of this land, he had assumed there were no inhabitants. What sane being would think of living here?

Link checked himself. He had run into a number of people and creatures on his travels that would probably consider this place comfortable living quarters.

He turned away from the path and the magmatic crag towards the voice. As he progressed towards the source of the voice, facts made themselves known, the foremost being that there were 2 voices.

The first one that Link had heard was a light tenor and rapid speech, the words nearly tumbling over each other as if the owner was in a rush to get every single one of his thoughts out in the span of a few seconds.

A second voice made itself known, deep and ponderous, obvious calculation being invested into his words.

"...only requesting to come along on one of your ventures through the tunnel," Tenor was saying, "a more in-depth study of the Rainwings should provide us with healthier specimen as well as the chance to see them in their natural environment."

"No, Mastermind," Deep growled, annoyance blatant in his tone, "I am not going to be responsible for when you entangle yourself in some bramble thicket 'in the name of science.' Your services aren't so indispensable that you need to go out in the wilds on your own."

"But think about it Morrowseer," the tenor voice, Mastermind, said, "most observations my assistants give me are colored by myth and superstition. A scientifically-minded dragon such as myself could much more easily reveal the secrets of the Rainwings, accelerating my studies and enabling us to move into the jungle much faster. I'm not asking to go with you this time, but only ask to think on it."

There were no whispers for a moment, but Link had caught onto one detail of the conversation. "Dragons" wasn't a word he had been expecting to be used as it was in that sentence. At first, he imagined the choice of vocabulary was meant as a metaphor or a title. It couldn't mean an actual dragon. The only dragons in the land, or Hyrule at least, were mere beasts incapable of thought or reasoning. They were either feral monsters or servants of the dark forces. Given a dragon's capability for good, it wasn't surprising.

As he pushed aside the bushes and brambles, though, he was given a new source of shock.

Two dragons with dark-violet scales walked side by side. Spike-like crests marked their spines and the center of their skulls, with two ivory horns on their heads. Their wings glittered as a black night with a star-filled sky, mesmerizing and beautiful.

The dragons were anything but.

The larger dragon bore numerous scars and plenty of muscle, both a testament to the creature's likely prowess in battle. But contrary to what the brawn suggested, its eyes bore a cold, calculating look, like a Lizalfo thinking of the best way to down a better fighter.

The smaller dragon, though, seemed like the opposite. A relative lack of muscle, head held high in an air of self-importance, and constant blithering like his only weapon was talking people to death marked this dragon as more intellectual.

And to his growing discomfort, the dragons did, indeed, talk.

"Fine, I'll think about it," the larger dragon, Morrowseer apparently, said.

The smaller dragon, Mastermind, perked up.

"But that does not mean I have given my consent," Morrowseer was quick to throw out. "I'll give you my answer once I have returned from checking on the dragonets the Talons of Peace are handling for the prophecy."

There was a silent consent, it seemed, as Mastermind flew off, his smaller size still plenty large to give Link pause. Shortly after, Morrowseer took off as well, the wind from his wings nearly sweeping Link off his feet, even at the distance.

Quickly, Link noted the larger dragon's direction of travel. The mention of dragonets and "Talons of Peace" had caught his ear. This embittered land didn't seem at all viable for raising younglings, he reasoned. It was only natural the place would be somewhere that was better suited for people and creatures desiring an environment that wasn't constantly killing you. And "Talons of Peace" suggested a group of some sentient creature that desired the same. The question of the name would have to be answered later.

Link decided: he was going to follow this Morrowseer and find the Talons of Peace, if only for refuge and an explanation of the land. Surely they wouldn't be draconic and could provide amenities suited for a human.

Or at a wolf, Link suddenly decided. That dragon was flying too fast for him to follow on foot, and Epona would likely not be able to reach him here.

He pulled out the cloth-covered crystal and unwrapped it as quickly as he could. Its fiery light throbbed as if anticipating Link's touch. With his ungloved hand, he grasped the crystal and its light pulsed once more, filling his body with the Twilight magicks.

Within seconds, Link's entire form darkened to nothing but a silhouette of his human form. His legs and back clenched up as his anatomy changed and reshaped into canid form. He cringed as he felt his face push out into a muzzle and his spine lengthened into a tail. Shivers overcame him as claws forced themselves from his newly-formed paws, and his teeth sharpened.

The worst part was always the fur. The feeling of fur growing from every follicle on his body made him grunt in extreme discomfort.

But as quickly as it started, it was over, leaving Link as the black wolf with white, linear symbols on his side, a white underbelly, and a singular white symbol on his forehead. The everpresent single cuff on his left forepaw and the attached broken chain made their weight known, but otherwise went unnoticed.

With a bark, Link sprinted after Morrowseer.

Why was he here? He didn't know. How did he get the Master Sword? Also unknown.

But Link did know one thing: He was going to do all within his power to stop whatever evil was plaguing this land, and banish it to the nether realms. He only prayed, by the Three Goddesses, that it would be enough.

Little did Link know that Fate was, at this very moment, entwining the Hero's path with that of five young dragons.


End file.
